Rail-joint fastening and the like.



J. M. DORSEY. RAIL JOINT FASTENING AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1913.

1,078,904. Patented Nov. 18,1913.

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JOHN IVL'DORSEY, or nnnnnsnuns, wasnrnoron.

RAIL-JOINT FASTENING AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Application filed March 11, 1913. Serial No. 753,521.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern.

Be. it known that I, JOHN M. DORSEY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Ellensburg, in the county of Kittitas and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Rail-Joint Fastenings and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its primary object to provide a device of the above type which can be quickly applied for rigidly and securely uniting the meeting ends. of track rails.

A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the locking element during its seating is driven in a direction transversely of the bolt.

Further the invention aims to provide a structure which can serve either as a temporary fastening or a permanent fastening.

Other objects will be set forth as my description progresses, and those features of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts on wnich I desire protection, succinctly defined in my annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout: Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating my invention in use. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through one of the rails. Fig. 3 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the wedge member, and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the bolt.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference, 1 indicates the meeting end portions of two rails, 2 the usual fish plates or angle plates, and 3 the alining bolt receiving holes. These parts can be of any suitable or well known construction.

My invention comprises a bolt consisting of a body 10 having at one end portion a head 11 and its other end portion reduced, as at 15, and provided with terminal shoulders 13 whose inner side faces 14 are in clined in a direction transversely to the bolt. By providing shoulders 13 on the reduced end portion of body 10, it will be observed that the shouldered end of the body need not be of greater diameter than the body proper and therefore is capable of passage through the usual openings 3 of the rails and fish plates. The reduced portion 15 has opposite flat faces which converge toward shoulders 18.

Reference numeral 16 indicates a wedge member, this being bifurcated and having its arms snugly straddling reduced portion 15. The inside faces of the arms ofwedgc member 16 are inclined in conformity with the inclination of shoulder faces 14. I further, serrate the opposite inclined faces of shoulders 13 and wedge member 16, as shown, whereby, when desired, the wedge member can be securely held against accidental displacement. In the furtherance of this object, the arms of member 16 are formed with registering apertures for reception of a suitable key, as 20, as shown.

My invention can be used as a temporary fastener for rail joints, and when so employed the wedges will be driven home with their smooth faces opposing and riding over the faces 1% of shoulders 13, to thereby enable the more ready removal of the wedge members, as will be readily understood.

lVhen serving as temporary fasteners, usually but two of the devices are required, for each joint, one device being passed through each rail end and the fish plate. Wedge members 16 are then forced to draw the fish plates to a firm seating against the webs of the rails. Following this the usual threaded bolts can be passed through the other openings 3 and provided with nuts as usual and the temporary fastening device removed and their places taken by the permanent fastening bolts. When the invention is used as a permanent fastening, one of the devices will be passed through each opening 8 of the rail ends and equipped with wedge members 16, the latter being driven with their serrated faces in engagement with shoulders 13, iereinbefore set forth. Keys 20 are then inserted in the apertures provided therefor in the wedge member arms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is

1. In combination with a bolt having one end portion provided with a reduced portion having converging faces extending to terminal shoulders, and a bifurcated wedge straddling the reduced portion of the bolt and bearing against the terminal shoulders thereof, said wedge being retained from disengagement with the terminal. shoulders by cooperation with the converging faces of the bolt.

2. A device of the character described with the serrated shoulders by cooperation 10 comprising a bolt having one end portion with the converging faces of the bolt. provided with converging faces extending Signed at Ellensburg, *Wash. this 19th day to terminal shoulders, the inner faces of the of February 1913. shou ders being serrated, and a Wedge mem- T ber straddling the bolt and provided With JOHN DORSEX serrations for engagement With the serrated Witnesses: faces of the shoulders of the bolt said Wedge C. F. HENSLEY, member being retained from disengagement M. P. MCINTIRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0 

